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November 11, 2010

Google Android becomes 2nd most popular smartphone operating system

Google’s Android operating system now has a market share of 25.5 per cent worldwide, up from 3.5 per cent in the same period a year ago, according to the latest figures from Gartner.

That means the smartphone platform is now second only to Symbian, which enjoys a 36.6 per cent share, down from 44.6 per cent over the same period the previous year. It puts Google Android well ahead of rival Apple, which has a 16.7 per cent share, and Research in Motion, with a 14.8 per cent share.

More than 20.5 million Android handsets were sold in the third quarter, up from 1.4 million devices over the same period a year ago, said Gartner.

“Manufacturers such as Samsung continued to launch high-end Android devices like the Galaxy S, but manufacturers also launched Android devices at lower prices to target different consumer segments,” read the Gartner report.

“For example, ZTE launched a sub-£100 Android phone with Orange in the prepay UK market. For its part, Google is maintaining a fast pace of OS updates. Each version brings new features and polish to Android, and the level of innovation is a major differentiator.”

Gartner said that Google Android was particularly dominant in the United States, with an estimated 75 to 80 per cent of all smartphones sold by Verizon in the third quarter running the Google platform.

“Smartphone OS providers have entered a period of accelerated platform evolution, stimulated by more regular product releases, new platform entrants and new device types,” said Roberta Cozza, principal research analyst at Gartner.

“Any platform that fails to innovate quickly — either through a vibrant multi-player ecosystem or clear vision of a single controlling entity — will lose developers, manufacturers, potential partners and ultimately users.”